ON GUARD!!

Proverbs 4:23 "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." King James Version

The Message Version "Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts."

New Living Translation "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."

To guard means to protect; keep safe from harm or danger. To keep means to hold or retain in one's possession. [Dictionary.com]

But why is this so important you ask?? 
Well for starters, Proverbs clearly states "out of your heart are the issues of life/where life starts/determines the course of your life." So whatever you let INTO your heart will soon sprout out and produce fruit. So, yeah, I think the type of music you listen to, the movies you watch, the conversations you have will either cause you to produce good fruit or.... bad fruit. Everything you come in contact with will influence you in some type of way. Joyce Meyer once said "I'll hang out with you as long as I'm affecting you and you're not infecting me." Emph... how about that...

Another important point is that you can't just allow anyone into your heart. Especially if they aren't a believer. If the Spirit of God is in you, He will definitely lead you in the direction of where you should go. It's up to you to listen and obey. I know me, I put myself in some of the dumbest, most avoidable situations and then have the nerve [LOL] to get upset because God told me not to do it, go there, talk to them etc. but he ALWAYS gives me a way out. Our Heavenly Father is all knowing, which includes Him knowing if you should or shouldn't be around a particular person/people. He knows your weaknesses. He knows your limits, so learn to take heed to the Holy Spirit. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying have a "holier than thou" attitude, because even Jesus sat with sinners. However, He's the Son of God. Lol He could not and cannot stumble like us humans.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doing." You may THINK you can handle certain situations and people, but the heart IS deceitful. God KNOWS though, every secret intention of your heart, and he KNOWS what is best. He knows where you do and don't belong. Don't deceive yourself. GUARD your own heart, preserve your salvation!!

We are not perfect and we don't all share the same imperfections and weaknesses. Some of us may be able to go to the club and minister to people there without even looking at a drink or getting distracted by a beautiful person. Whereas for others, the club would be the ULTIMATE, slip-n-slide, hello world, sliding rock, stumbling block. Instead, their strength may be simply walking in love. The ability to deal with the worst attitude in a Christ-like manner and not getting offended by whatever comes out of someone's mouth.

Anyway, I'm rambling. I'm excited because I have 2 weeks off from work and school so now I can focus more on handling my Kingdom Business! :-D Preparing for the new year, IF it's the Lord's will that I make it to 2011. Reflecting on the tremendous amount of GROWTH I've had in 2010, and how mad I've made that dirty dog devil this year :-P Maybe one day he'll learn..."He can't STOP ME! NAH! CAUSE I'M UNSTOPPABLE! IF THE DEVIL COULD KILL ME HE WOULD HAVE DONE IT BY NOW! If the devil could kill me, I would be dead by now. No weapon formed against me shall prosper, more than a conqueror through Christ" This song still reigns as ONE of my 2010 anthems... lol



God is love 

♥Mari